


Ambush

by SekiaSweet



Series: Anchored to the Past [2]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Alienages (Dragon Age), Ambushes and Sneak Attacks, Arguments, Champagne, Community Service, F/M, Fluff, Implied Violence, Pre-Dragon Age: Inquisition - Trespasser DLC, Shopping, Some Plot, Spa Treatments, The Anchor (Dragon Age), Tweaked the timeline a bit, cheese wheels, dress fittings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-18
Updated: 2020-12-22
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:34:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,261
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28140003
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SekiaSweet/pseuds/SekiaSweet
Summary: There's gonna be a ball...stuff and things are gonna happen, but before that..
Relationships: Female Inquisitor & Vivienne (Dragon Age), Female Inquisitor/Cullen Rutherford, Female Lavellan & Vivienne (Dragon Age), Female Lavellan/Cullen Rutherford
Series: Anchored to the Past [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2040350
Kudos: 7





	1. Party Planning

Cullen saw her riding out of Skyhold alone atop her Tirashan Swiftwind as he crossed into the main keep for breakfast the next morning. When he asked Dennet about it in the great hall, the horsemaster simply replied, “she said that she was going for a ride with Godric because she needed to think.”

When it was time for their morning council meeting a couple of hours later, Briseis was already waiting for them, leaned against the War Table and looking completely windswept in her emerald green riding coat and black trousers with bits of mud still splattered on her boots. She'd taken the day off yesterday as she was asked, but today she was ready to get back to business. They gave her a detailed briefing on efforts to root out the remaining Venatori and Red Templars throughout Orlais and they were just about adjourned when she decided to press them on why Cullen had been called away from her the night before.

“Sooo, which one of you finally wants to tell me why you all had to meet in here last night?” Briseis asked. “It wouldn't have anything to do with why Vivienne made an appointment for me with her seamstress, would it? You two,” she said, gesturing at her Spymaster and her Ambassador, “avoided telling me anything during tea yesterday, but now it seems like a really good time to spill it. What is going on?”

Cullen and Leliana looked to Josephine, who began to explain the situation at once. “Empress Celene is hosting a ball to celebrate Cassandra's coronation as Divine,” Josie said. “It will be held at the Winter Palace in two months in conjunction with celebrations for the Eve of First Day. There will also be prominent nobility from every nation in attendance. King Alistair of Ferelden and Prince Sebastian Vael of the Starkhaven will also be present.”

Briseis raised her eyebrows. “Sounds like quite the party,” she mused

“So yes, Vivienne's appointments are to have you dressed for the ball,” Leliana explained to her. “The Inquisition, specifically you, is naturally expected to attend.”

“But it isn't the ball itself that is such a concern,” Cullen added. “There is a likelihood that one or all of you may be marked of assassination. The ball would be the perfect opportunity to create chaos in Thedas if even one of you were to be killed.”

Briseis nodded as she took in all the information that she'd just received. “And this possible attempt on my life the reason for the emergency War Council?” she asked, looking at her advisors.

Leliana nodded while brushing a strand of her short red hair away from her face. “Yes, Inquisitor,” she answered. “Your support is a large part of why Cassandra will be the new Divine, despite some wishing that you didn't have that level of influence. And there are those who did not want to see Cassandra as Divine because they think she'll be soft in her dealings with the Inquisition. Bits and pieces of information have been piling up in the last few days, but most of this picture did not become clear until now. We don't know exactly who is behind this, but my agents are already working to find out.”

She sighed. “What's a ball at the Winter Palace without a little attempted murder?” Briseis muttered.

“Boredom,” Leliana and Josephine said in unison.

The Inquisitor gave a low chuckle at that. She looked at the map sprawled in front of them, tracing the fingers of her left hand around the Winter Palace as the Anchor shimmered, and sighed. She had come to realize that when playing the Grand Game, a ballroom will always be more dangerous than any battlefield. Briseis loathed all of it, the politics and scheming, but she realized that she would be forced to play yet again.

She looked up at her advisors as she ran her fingers through her dark hair thoughtfully. “How much does the Chantry know of this?”

“We have exchanged some information with them, but we did not want to cause any unnecessary alarm,” Leliana told her. “If the Chantry knows anything, they've said nothing to us.”

Briseis glanced out the window, mulling over how she wanted to proceed. “Leliana, make contact with any members of the Chantry that aren't skittish and tell them only what they need to know about this. You and I will speak to Cassandra directly. The two of you were the Hands of the Divine when Justinia was alive and we formed the Inquisition together, so it wouldn't arouse suspicion if we were to, let's say, have lunch in my chambers?” Leliana nodded and swept from the room.

She then turned her eyes to her Ambassador. “Josie, would you please notify the Empress of our acceptance and gratitude for the invitation to the ball, which we will graciously accept. Let her know that we will be pleased and humbled to be in her presence again as it has been far too long since our last encounter.”

Josephine nodded. “I will do so at once, Inquisitor,” she responded with her thick Antivan accent. She paused at the door. “Oh, and you have a meeting with an envoy from Rivain this afternoon,” she informed Briseis. “I understand that they've brought some of that tea you really like. They may send an entire crate now that Corypheus is defeated.” She exited the room swiftly as she began mumbling to herself as she planned the necessary letters.

As Josephine closed the door behind her, Briseis then turned to Cullen. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, glancing at her with an odd expression, but never quite looking her in the eye. “Is something bothering you, Commander?” she asked. He leaned down and glanced to the table. She knew he wasn't happy about the idea of going back to the Winter Palace. The last time they were there, he spent most of the night dodging questions about his personal life and dance requests from nobility and even their atrociously inappropriate groping. At one point she'd even been tempted to cast a bit of storm magic on one particular noble to save the Commander. It was clear that Cullen wasn't looking forward to going through it all again, but she could tell there was something else on his mind.

Cullen allowed his eyes to finally met hers. “The last time we were at the Winter Palace... on the balcony,” he said, rounding the War Table to stand next to her.

She closed her eyes and sighed realizing what he was talking about. After she exposed Florianne's misdeeds to the entire court, she'd seen that Cullen had caught a glimpse of her dancing on a balcony with Solas out the corner of her eye. While she'd already ended things with him by then, she still felt guilty that he had seen them together.

“I know that you saw us,” she replied quietly. “I just never spoke to you about it because I didn't want to put you on the spot,” she admitted.

“I appreciate that, but it's okay,” he said.

“I never wanted to hurt you, Cullen,” Briseis explained. “I truly didn't and I don't want to now.” She sighed and looked into his eyes. “You were right last night and I will not lie to you. Solas broke my heart and I am still hurt by his leaving. But I also know that he is never coming back.”

He asked the one question filling the air between them. “But what if he did?”

“I doubt it would be possible for us to pick up where we left off,” she admitted simply. “And I'm not sure I would want to anyway. Too much has happened and it's obvious that Solas was lying to us – to me – the entire time he was with the Inquisition. One thing I can't stand is when I've been lied to by someone I care about.” She moved closer to him and took his hand. “Besides, my interests may be moving elsewhere.”

Her admission seemed to surprise him. “Really...?” he began as he straightened up.

Briseis looked at him warmly. “I took Godric out for a ride this morning so that I could think about some things. He has a knack for helping me to make sense of my thoughts,” she explained as he laughed at her a bit. “And on the way back I realized how much I really enjoyed spending time with you last night,” she said, his hand still in hers. “So I would like to explore whatever is happening between us, but I don't want to rush things, if that's alright with you?” she asked. He looked down at their hands, realizing that their fingers were interlaced.

“I meant what I said last night,” he replied. “We can take this as slowly as you like.”

“Good. Now back to business because I'm going to be helping you plan out security for the Winter Palace,” she said. “Is that something that bothers you, Commander?”

“It does not, Lady Inquisitor,” he answered. “Feel free to stop by my office whenever you desire.”

Briseis smirks as he pulls her into his embrace. He was leaning down towards her when they hear a knock at the door. “Excuse me, my lady,” a voice timidly calls from the hallway. “Ser Morris is humbly requesting your assistance with requisitions in the Emprise Du Lion at your earliest convenience.”

She tries her best not to laugh at the expression on Cullen's face. “Looks like duty calls,” she said as she turned towards the door.

He caught her hand just before it slipped away to pull her into the kiss she'd been wanting since she returned for her ride with Godric. “You'll come by my office later?” he asked Briseis when he'd finally released her lips.

“Mmhmm,” she replies softly. Her eyes flit up to his briefly as she grins at him and exits the room, certain that he was watching her leave.

Two weeks later, the time had come for Briseis and Vivienne to make the journey to Orlais for their dress fittings. Vivienne had tried in futility to persuade Cassandra to join them, the Seeker making it clear that she had no interest in the pomp surrounding her coronation. Cassandra did however make a point to take more of an interest in her security after speaking with Leliana and Briseis. Implications had also been made towards strengthening the ties between the Chantry and the Inquisition, but such discussions would have to wait until after Cassandra was officially Divine.

The Inquisitor and the First Enchanter made their arrival at the Ghislain estate days later without incident, although both were exhausted from their travels by the time they arrived. Vivienne had written to her seamstress Myrina ahead of their departure from Skyhold to have the fittings take place at her deceased lover's home, a request which was graciously obliged. Briseis ultimately decided on a gown of midnight blue silk with a silver trim that exposed most of her back and had a split high up her right thigh. She'd chosen a silver mask engraved with a blue dragon to be held with silk ties matching her dress, and silver shoes to Vivienne's great surprise. “I may not enjoy the Game as much as you do, but I do like the clothes. And if I'm going to be forced to play, I guess I may as well look good while doing it,” she had said to Vivienne's shock and genuine approval.

“My dear, there's hope for you yet and while you may loathe the Game, you're actually quite good at it. That shade of blue looks fantastic against your skin,” her fellow Knight Enchanter drawled, sipping champagne as she observed Briseis having the bodice of her dress taken in by the assistant. “And I must say darling, you do look much happier now that you've taken up with the Commander. I always thought him a better match for you than that pompous Rift mage and he is quite the catch considering the number of nobles desperately trying to gain his attention. Dear Josie seems to get almost as many proposals for him as she does for you.”

In the two weeks since they'd first had dinner, things had starting heating up between Briseis and Cullen. While they were taking things slowly and keeping things as quiet as possible, they had also been spending a lot of time together while planning security for the Winter Palace. He'd also had dinner with her twice since then and he joined her for breakfast before she left for Orlais.

Briseis made a face at the Enchanter as Myrina made an adjustment to the split near her thigh. “My romantic issues aside, we will all need to be careful at this ball, Vivienne. There could be more at stake this time than there was during the civil war between Gaspard and Celene. Thedas could truly be thrown into chaos if something were to happen.”

Vivienne's dark brown eyes glittered with excitement. “My dear, that just makes it all that much more fun,” she said gleefully. She changed to a much more serious demeanor after having her glass refilled. “But don't worry. We will take all the necessary precautions, but you must understand. In the Grand Game the idea of blood being spilled simply makes for more exciting sport.” Briseis rolled her eyes and took a glass of champagne for herself, giggling at the bubbles tickled at her nose, but she remained reserved about the events set to unravel. Especially knowing it could likely be _her_ blood being spilled that night.

They stopped for lunch at some exclusive cafe in Val Royeaux that the Enchanter knew about on their return trip and then Vivienne treated the Inquisitor to a lengthy spa treatment, complete with small wheels of cheese on their eyes for reasons yet remaining a mystery to Briseis. Afterwards Vivienne naturally decided to go shopping and the Inquisitor opted to visit the Val Royeaux alienage to leave an offering at their _vhenadahl_ and speak with the _hahren._ After entertaining some of the alienage children with a little bit of magic and a couple of stories from the Inquisition and Elven history, she invited the _hahren_ to send word to her at Skyhold for anything that was needed in the alienage and she also made a note that she needed to write to Briala about an offer of assistance to improve conditions within the alienage. She'd made a point to still aid the People when she could.

The afternoon of their scheduled return to the fortress was when it happened.

Vivienne was giving Briseis suggestions on how to wear her hair for the ball as they were approaching the base of the mountain when they began to hear yelling and blasts outside the carriage. Both could immediately sense magic stirring from without. The Enchanter cautiously looked out the window towards the road and bared her teeth. “What do you see?” Briseis asked, her left hand balling into a fist, the dull green of her Anchor coming to life.

“Venatori,” Vivienne hissed, reaching for her staff as Briseis grabbed her own.

“This close to Skyhold?!” Briseis exclaimed, preparing to attack as the carriage door blasted open...


	2. Pursuit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So about that ambush...

He was pacing on the battlements impatiently, looking towards the entrance into Skyhold. They were already two hours past their scheduled return to the fortress when Cullen saw Vivienne riding towards Skyhold alone on horseback. The Enchanter, known for her pristine appearance, arrived looking quite disheveled and bleeding from a large, very deep gash on her arm. Vivienne quickly divulged the events of the ambush to Cullen after he rushed down the steps to meet her in the courtyard: several of their escort were injured and a couple had been killed. They were fighting back when a Stalker snuck up on Vivienne and wounded her before the Inquisitor impaled him with her Spirit Blade. Briseis then did what she could to slow the bleeding, but the skin was taking its time to knit back together so she sent Vivienne back to the fortress for medical attention and to have her send aid. Cullen immediately rode out of Skyhold to find the Inquisitor with Dorian, Iron Bull, Sera, and Thom following in haste.

The fighting was already finished when they found the site of the ambush, the highest ranking officer in the Inquisitor's detail quickly stepped forward as Cullen dismounted his horse. The lieutenant looked nervous before Cullen's glowering. “Commander, they attacked us out of nowhere,” he explained. “It was starting to turn ugly before the Inquisitor and Madame Vivienne were able to launch a counter attack. But when the First Enchanter was injured, Inquisitor Lavellan - she unleashed absolute hell to make sure she would able to return to Skyhold for help. I'd heard the stories, but I've never actually _seen_ the Inquisitor in battle before...”

Cullen began to tune out the officer next to him as he took in the scene. The carriage was turned on its side, its door blasted off the hinges and a wheel missing. Inquisition forces were being tended to by a healer. He could see the scorch marks where fire magic had been cast. The remains of the Venatori were scattered about, some of their bodies still smoking or frozen from magic.

“Hey, wait. Where's Quizzie?” Sera asked, looking around.

That's when the Commander realized that there was no trace of her. Anywhere.

Cullen looked to Dorian who'd realized the same thing and they began scanning the area, furiously looking for her. The Commander had begun moving towards the trees before he heard Thom calling him. “I've found the Inquisitor,” he yelled, “she's over here.”

Cullen rushed over and looked down the hill to see to see a Venatori Stalker sprawled on the ground, dead from a nasty stab wound to his neck. He looked past and saw Briseis sitting on a tree stump, her staff resting against her shoulder and a small dagger in her hand, the blade soaked to the hilt in blood. Her eyes were closed as she received attention for a laceration along her right cheek. Aside from her cut, a few bruises, and the blood and dirt splattered across her clothes and her face, she seemed otherwise unharmed. She appeared to be a little tired and the Anchor was still glowing brightly on her hand, but then she opened her eyes and she gave a small smile as she found the Commander's anxious gaze.

Cullen did not waste time crossing the distance between them, kneeling down to bring his face close to hers. He looked down at the blade in her hand and back up at her face. She shrugged. “You once suggested I should always carry a knife. I listened,” she explained.

Suddenly, and with no regard to anyone else around them, he raised his hand to the left side of Briseis's face and crushed her lips to his. The lieutenant shifted uncomfortably at the sight before Iron Bull gestured for him to move away. “Well Dorian,” the Tal-Vashoth said. “There goes any chance of them keeping their relationship a secret any longer. But who gives a shit? The Boss is okay.” He winked his one eye at her as he noticed she was peeking at him out the corner of her left eye.

“Aww.... So are you going to start calling him 'Cullen-wullen' or 'Cully-wully,' now?” Sera teased. Briseis shot her a look, but the blond elf just stuck out her tongue. “I think 'Cully-wully and Quizzie' sounds cute...” she thought aloud.

“She may be safe for now, but it'll be better when she's back at Skyhold,” Thom pointed out. He turned to Cullen. “Go ahead and take her back, Commander. We'll check to see if there are more of the bastards nearby.”

Cullen nodded in agreement. He aided the Inquisitor to her feet and guided her back to is mount. He climbed on and extended his hand to help her take position behind him, then turned towards their companions. “Ride back to Skyhold as soon as you're all able.” And he rode off, trying to figure out if there had been a flaw in their security.

The Inquisitor briefed her advisors and Cassandra on the ambush once they returned to Skyhold just before nightfall, her theory being the Venatori were retaliating because of their efforts against them across Ferelden and Orlais. Leliana immediately had scouts sent out to discover if there were any hiding in the mountains after Vivienne's return. Cullen insisted on increasing security around the Inquisitor and the soon-to-be Divine considering how close to Skyhold the ambush had taken place. Briseis agreed to additional security sweeps, but she and Cassandra both refused additional guards while on the grounds. Cassandra reminded the Commander that she was still a Seeker and could handle herself; Briseis, being a capable mage in her own right as well as a Knight Enchanter, felt the same and didn't want to feel crowded by a security detail. While Cullen initially objected to her stance, causing a lengthy and rather heated row between them, he had to relent when she reminded him that she was rarely alone anyway. But Briseis knew their conversation was far from over.

She had finally retired to her quarters to get cleaned up and take a look at the new scar on her face. The bright red line was already starting to fade thanks to healing magic. It would likely continue to be faintly visible, although she was sure that her mask would cover it up for the ball. She then glanced down at her left hand. While the Anchor was fully calmed by the time they made it back, it had left her feeling weakened after its use. It tingled frequently and sometimes felt as though it were draining her of life, reminding Briseis that Cassandra had once said the Mark was killing her. She was wondering how much time she actually had left when she heard her door burst open. She whipped around as Cullen stalked into her room and the scowl on his face confirming that he wasn't quite done with their argument in the War Room.

“By the Maker, you and Cassandra are the most stubborn women I've ever encountered, that's including the Champion of Kirkwall _and_ the Hero of Ferelden!” he swore. He gently took her by the shoulders. “I promised I wouldn't let any harm come to you. I can't protect you if you don't let me!”

Briseis pulled away to stare into his concerned, golden eyes. “And you HAVEN'T let any harm come to me,” she shot back. “There's no way you could have anticipated the ambush. You also know me well enough to know that there is no way that I will be made to live in fear within the walls of my own fortress! And there's a few dead Venatori down the mountain that will confirm that I am quite capable of taking care of myself!”

Cullen glared at her. “This time. What happens next time?” he demanded, gesturing to the scar on her cheek. “He could have killed you!!!”

She stepped back from him. “Are you _kidding_ me, Cullen?!!! It's a cut on my cheek and the only reason he even got that close was because I lost my footing on an exposed tree root, but it also gave me the chance to plunge my blade into his neck. And if you recall, I faced and received far worse while fighting against Corypheus. We will deal with whatever or whomever comes at us, just as we have always done. And since there's only one way up here, the Venatori would have to be mad to try and come after us here,” she replied. “But as a precaution and to compromise, I think we should tighten guard rotations for the time being if that helps.”

“It helps a little bit,” he conceded. His expression softened and he folded her into his arms. “I don't mean to be so overbearing. But the Inquisition cannot afford to lose you right now and neither can I for that matter,” he told her as he looked down at her. “You scared the shit out of me today. What in Thedas possessed you to send Vivienne back here instead of coming yourself?”

Briseis stepped away from him and shrugged. “I promise you I'm not going anywhere. I sent Vivienne back because she was injured and abandoning our troops was never an option for me,” she said. She held up her hand when he tried to protest. “You wouldn't have done any different and we both know it. I needed her to get to safety and I knew she would make it back here so that you - all of you - would come for me. I'm just sorry we got them all before you showed up. Bull definitely looks like he's been itching for a fight and Krem can only hit him with a stick so many times.”

He yielded a chuckle at her last comment and gently kissed her on the right temple. His features crinkled with worry as he ran his finger across her new scar. “Don't scare me like that again,” he made her promise.

“The best I can do is try not to make it a habit.” She pulled him towards her and smiled. “But wait until you see the dress. And the mask.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! I hope you're enjoying this series so far!!! I want apologize that this note might be kinda lengthy.
> 
> So I know the works have been kinda short, but I promise that this is gonna pick up at the beginning of the year. There IS an actual story beyond the whole Cully and Bri relationship. I have a lot of this already written out because I've been working on this for like four months, but I need to do a bit of editing and reworking the plot in a few places later on. I do tweak the DA:I timeline a bit and have some of my own HC in this, please feel free to ask me about stuff and things you may be curious about at any point down the line. No, I'm not giving you any spoilers. Ever. If you ask nicely, I might hint. :)
> 
> I have tagged characters that haven't been seen yet, but I promise you they are coming. Some sooner than others. And I'm working on a one shot I hope to have ready in a few days. Another is already written, but I'm debating whether or not to use it in the plot. May just release it for fun.
> 
> Okay, so maybe this was not so lengthy. Anyhoo, I hope everyone is having a wonderful and safe holiday season! Take care!


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